Learn How To Use Tweetdeck Effectively And Save Time
Dainis Graveris
TweetDeck is the most useful application for managing Twitter that I’ve found ever. It is fully customizable – you have full control of every column, user, related tweet – this application is really time saver if you use it on regular basis. In this article I am trying to show real power of Tweetdeck, which seems to be hidden on the first moment, it is an Adobe Air-based application that runs on any platform (it requires Adobe Air 1.5 to be installed first) – at first I would suggest You also to play with settings, rollover buttons, they are often self explaining also revealing many hidden features.
Organize Your Screen and Columns
I will start explaining the most important features
1. Tweet
This is the most basic button, You probably use very often – here You can write status update as well as insert and shorten URL.
Also note there are also buttons where You can add picture, translate message, automatically shrink message (shorten words as possible) and automatically hash tag with most relevant and popular tags. Keep playing with buttons – you’ll get used to it pretty fast.
2. All Friends
Open Friend tweet section column, usually it is open on default.
3. Replies
Open Reply column (lists all replies to your messages), usually this one is opened too. All messages with @yourtwittername included will be there.
4. Direct Messages
Open direct messages column (DM), opened on default.
5. Favorites
Opens Favorite message column.
6. Groups
Start new group, choose group members and manage them. This can be very handy to create specific column following just your selected friends, you want to take off the crowd. For example you can create one column – just where You talk with You work buddies and then maybe one more column where you select just your school friends. Read more about group creation here.
7. Twitter Search
Use advanced search to search all relevant tweets into a new column – great way yo start conversation that You really take interest in. Very powerful tool, read more about it here.
8. TwitScoop
Adds new column showing You hot trends, most often and popular topics – see what people are buzzing about.
9. 12Seconds
12seconds is the best place online for video status updates. It’s a super easy way to share what you’re doing with your friends and family using short video clips. You can use your web cam or mobile phone. Show your friends where you are, share your thoughts, or tell them how you’re doing. We are building a video status platform that will help you keep up to date with your friends 12 seconds at a time.
Tweetdeck just add interaction with this project and service.
10. StockTwits
StockTwits is an open, community-powered idea and information service for investments. Users can eavesdrop on traders and investors, or contribute to the conversation and build their reputation as savvy market wizards. The service takes financial related data – using Twitter as the content production platform – and structures it by stock, user, reputation, etc.
Log into the site with your Twitter details and you will be presented with a user interface filled with comments and stats showing the top ticker buzz, the top StockTwit talkers, and the top gainers and losers.
Tweetdeck just add interaction with this great service.
11. Facebook Status Update
Same here, adds Facebook interaction with Tweetdeck.
Okay, now we are a little more familiar with main navigation section. Continuing article, I’ll explain many short tips, which will help you navigate and use TweetDeck more effectively saving Your time in big amounts, of course, if you want it to spend at all on Twitter.
Reply, Retweet, Direct Message
Just rollover on profile icon to get many options as reply, retweet, DM, follow,unfollow, add to group, favorite, search. With those buttons you can do anything you could need from another person in very handy way.
Organize Your columns
You can get 5 columns on Your TweetDeck if You choose Narrow columns. Also note if You click on the new buttons to open new columns, you should close some of already opened ones in order to see new ones or just scroll from left to right.
How to delete column
Filter by keyword
Now this one is extremely useful because for example, if you are searching for links to retweet you can type “http” and all messages with URL’s will be listed.
Also “RT @” is useful, because you filter messages, which your friends seemed to be worthy for retweeting.
One more – if you’re looking for questions to answer and help somebody just type question mark – “?” or “please” and you’ll get all questions or requests from your friends.
You can also filter by username – select dropdown list and write Your friend’s username and get only his tweets in one column. You can even select time frame and source – it gives you complete control to Your columns.
Twitter API Limit
This is really good feature – Twitter API Limit Tracker. The API Tracker allows you to see how much of your Twitter API limit you’ve used and at what time your API limit will reset to 100%. You can see this limit on top right of Tweetdeck. On TweetDeck settings you can choose how you use this limit selecting how often Your columns updates, this is nice feature also if you have got a lot of followers. By limiting updates, you have enough time to read all interesting tweets in time.
TweetDeck Color Settings
As for me it’s pretty tiresome to read on dark background light letters and you know what – you can easily change it if you want! I just reversed colors and played some little more and got light, personalized TweetDeck profile. If you want, you can also share your Tweet color settings with friends or reset colors if you messed up something.
Okay, this ir pretty rough list explaining just the most important Tweetdeck features, if you want to dig really deep I listed several more resources, you can continue reading:
All your TweetDeck Questions Answered – 31 basic questions answered here, consider reading if You’re new to Tweetdeck.
TwitterHowTo
Here You can find a lot of Tweetdeck tips explained with screenshots really detailed, site is dedicated to help You with Twitter, but Tweetdeck related articles explaining new features are pretty often there. Just keep searching, what You need.
TweetDeck’s posterous
-All things about TweetDeck and Twitter.
It seems obvious, but if you’re interested what’s happening with Tweetdeck, read their own blog. That’s all for short!
For Further Reading:
Did you enjoy this article and found it useful?
Get even more from us:
faycal
Posted 452 days ago 24Very useful article as I still find it difficult to navigate the tweetdeck interface.
John Parks
Posted 1035 days ago 23I’m actually learning how to use twitter better. Pretty useful!
Cathy Tishhouse
Posted 1045 days ago 22When I first joined Twitter, I used Tweetdeck. Then I switched from a PC to a Mac and loaded it again after some time. By then I followed a lot of people and they wouldn’t all come up to create the groups I wanted. So, I kind of gave up on it. It might be useful to include something about how to create groups with a large # of followers etc. It seems I ran across something that said there was a limit but never really mastered the groups this way.
Joan
Posted 1072 days ago 21Thanks for the tutorial. I just wrote a short post on my blog about it :)
Joans last blog post : Joint Ventures Using Social Networking Sites
Luis Lopez
Posted 1091 days ago 20Great post about tweetdeck, i didn’t know i could do such things with it even if i’m using it for 2 months now.
Luis Lopezs last blog post : 15 Sites To Find A Free Twitter Background
Frank Stallone
Posted 1094 days ago 19Typo – “Okay, this ir pretty rough list explaining” paragraph just before “All your TweetDeck Questions Answered” on the bottom. ir = is.
Great article!
Frank Stallones last blog post : MacHeist 3
designiac
Posted 1096 days ago 18you’ve shown all highlight of tweetdeck… made a new article with all that screenshot.
I think it very useful for most of the people, also I think tweetdeck interface explain itself.
.. the program has nice icons. you know how to use it without reading a manual.
Andre Arnett
Posted 1097 days ago 17Have been looking for something to explain using this system. Thanks, will be studying it.
Andre Arnetts last blog post : Boy, It Has Been A While…
srdha
Posted 1100 days ago 16i gust want to say some thing “great job”
Update your Twitter randomly according to your intrest Or, from Rss Feed Or, from your own tweet message list Or, Any combination of the above three http://feedmytwitter.com
Sarah Turner
Posted 1101 days ago 15What a great post. Discovered 5 new things. Have retweeted it. Of course!
Sarah Turners last blog post : Shout it out: Why you should use an active voice
Katharine
Posted 1101 days ago 14This is definitely an informative post. What would help me more, though, is a table with check marks comparing features between the most popular Twitter desktop clients (Tweetdeck vs. Seesmic, for example).
John Fredrickson
Posted 1102 days ago 13Great article. I think you might want to take a closer look at your RSS feeds though. The RSS feed for this article seems to have been injected with some unsavory content that isn’t in the main article.
irtiza104
Posted 1102 days ago 12hi,
this is a really informative post. it’s clear that you do quite a bit of research before putting together a post.
Recently i have started using twitter, i am still a newbee there. i use platforms like twittercounter to get a little recognition on twitter. i might give twitdeck a try.
thanks for notifying us.
peace
irtiza104s last blog post : Never Say “Never”, Dude!
Guy McDowell
Posted 1102 days ago 11Dugg it, Thumbs-Upped it and wrote a comment at Digg. Just a fan of your site in general. Keep up the good work. I’m convinced to use Tweetdeck now.
Guy McDowells last blog post : UTag ICE – USB Tags for Medical Emergencies
Dragon Blogger
Posted 1102 days ago 10Fantastic article, very well detailed, far more thorough than my own on Tweetdeck, you should update with the “auto-fill usernames” so when you type @, it shows you a list of people you select and saves you time.
Dragon Bloggers last blog post : Twittervision Is One Fun Twitter Application
Bonnie
Posted 1102 days ago 9Thanks for the tips–I’ve just started using Tweetdeck because of this article. It’s really great! :)
Dainis Graveris
Posted 1103 days ago 8Thank You – I really hope I’ll create some new Tweetdeck users, because I really love this application! I wish I could have such tutorial too when I get started :))
lawrence77
Posted 1103 days ago 7Great thanks….
lawrence77s last blog post : Vodafone ZOOZOO Ads!
madhollywood
Posted 1103 days ago 6I’m over due to start expending some effort to start saving some time on twitter.
madhollywoods last blog post : Some Voodoo Lines
Dicky
Posted 1103 days ago 5Nice list! I am using Hootsuite currently and may consider to switch to Tweetdeck after read this article!
Dickys last blog post : 10 Promising CSS Framework That Worth A Look
Martin Newham
Posted 1103 days ago 4Nice Tuts, wish I’d seen it when I started using TweetDeck ..
Avertedd
Posted 1103 days ago 3Данный пост реально помог мне принять очень важное для себя решение. За что автору отдельное спасибо. Жду от Вас новых постов!
Moe
Posted 1103 days ago 2Great post, love TweetDeck, however one grammatical thing I picked up on the was niggling at me: you don’t have to capitalise the ‘Y’ on you and your :P
Thanks again for the writeup!
Moes last blog post : Free Track: Deepack vs. The Prophet – Stampuhh (Da Tweekaz Beukuh Remix)
LoneWolf
Posted 1103 days ago 1You’ve done a good job at highlighting all the features available in TweetDeck! It is an amazing tool for using Twitter more effectively.
LoneWolfs last blog post : You Might Be a Golfer